Cotton-picker.



B. C, WHTE.

GOTTON PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED 00120, 1910.

LSiiQ, y @muted Nov, '7, 1911.

2 SHEETFS-SHIJET 1y v i? B. G. WHITE.

COTTON PICKER.

APPLIGA'TION FILED 00126, 1910. Lg, Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

` plants eleaning the fingers oi' sap. Located oppo- 'iinrrnns'rafrnsrnrnivr orrron.

BRUCE CLARK WHITE. or WooNsocKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASsrGNoR 'ro PRrc'E-CAMPBELL cofrToN PICKER-CORPORATION, or WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COR-PQRATION OF DELAWARE.

COTTON-PICKER.

i posees.

Application filed October 26. 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.` serial No. 589,244.

To all whom. 'it mit?! Concern.' t

Be it known that l, lmei-l t'innn lViii'in, "itizen oli the lnitedStates. residing ati ll'oonsoeket. in the eountv ol lrovidenee and Stateot` lthode island, have invented eertain new and uset'ul Improvementsin; tottoirPiekei-s, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the aeeouipanying drawings.

My invention relates to that type of cot, ton pickers shown in myapplication Serial No. Militia, tiled January 18, 1908. In this type ot'machine. picking fingers are thrust longitmlinaltv into the eottonplants while the latter are confined in a longitudinal pitssa'ge betweenthe piekingy mechanisms and are revolved therein. The pickingm-eehanisnis are hung in the framework ofthe n'laehine. which straddlesthe row of cotton and is mounted on wheels which traverse the spaceslfietvveen the rows' of plants. The picking fingers are carried inseries upon spaced carriers linked together and driven by gearing tocause the tingers to move rearward at a speed equal to the advanee ofthe machine when the fingers are in the plants. The. lingers areIwithdrawn from the plants at the rearward end of their travel, and areswung about and drawn ohliquelv between stripping edges to relieve themof the cotton wound upon them. This stripping action oeeurs during thetora rd travel ofthe fingers.` lmniediately be- ,voud the st rippers arelocated brushes for site to the end of the stril'iping edges is a.dotl'er or vertical spiked roller for removing cotton or cotton seedsadhering to the stripper.

Experience has demonstrated that the stripper, the spiked roller and thebrushes must. frequently be removed to give access to their parts and toremove accumulations therefrom.

One objeet ot my invention is to so mount and eonneet these parts in thedrum inelosure that they may he removed or replaced quickly andconveniently.

Another 'object ot' my invention is to so form the spiked roller that itwill materially assist in keeping that part of the drum inclosure freefrom accumulations of cotton and cotton seed by actingas a fan.

Other objects ofmy invention are to provide convenient means foradjusting the height of the stripper bar as a whole and to adjust theheight. of the brushes thereon.

l accomplish these objects by thedevices and combination of parts shownin the drawings and hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, illustrating`r the principle ot' myinvention and the besty mode now known to me of applying that principle,Figure l is a transverse section of the drum, showing the stripper andspiked roller in elevation, .looking forward. Fig. 2 is a transversesection of the drum, showing the brushes and stripper column inelevation, looking rearward. Fig. 3 isV a side elevation. Fig. 4 is adetail plan view, partly insertion, of the stripper, spiked roller andbrush in their working position. Fig. 5 is a detail plan' view of thesame parts as they would appear when swung out of-.the drum,- the topplate being removed. Fig. 6 isa detail section, on line 1-1 of Fig. 5,showing locking pin. Fig. 7 is a detail section, on line 2 of Fig. 5,showing hinge rod. Fig. 8 is a top-plan view ot a sprocket for driving afan-acting spike-roller. Fig. 9 is in the. main a cross-section, at line4-4 of Fig. 1 1, and illustrates particularly the rclation of thetan-acting, spiked roller in relation to the stripper. Fig. l isavertical seetion at a line corresponding to line -5 of Figs. l and 8,and particularly illustrates the 'spiked roller construction. Fig. l1 isa set-tion at line 3 3 of Fig/9, and illustrates the construction of thelower por tion ot the spike-roller construction and ar rangenient.

Referring to` the several ligures of the drawings, in which likecharacters ofV rei"- erenee indicate like parts, l is a stripper eolumne.\'t ending vertieally between the drum tloor 2 and the drum top-plate8 and secured thereto by thel hinge-rod 4. This rod extends from bottomto top of the drum and is provided with a. head 5 under the drum liase,and is threaded at. its upper end for threaded engagement with the,vupper part ot the stripper column 1 atv G. The

hinge rod is prevented from turning or moving up or down hy thel nuts 7and 8 which clamp it. to the top plate 3 of the drum. 'lhe eolumu l istree to turn upon the hinge rod. and is supported at the desired heightupon it by thc tl'ireaded' engagement at 6 (Fig. 7

sto

To adjust the vertical position of the stripper column 1, the top nut l"is first loosened, leaving the hinge rod t free to be turned by its head5, whereby the column 1 will be screwed up or down by reason of itsthreaded engagement at 6 with said rod. By tightening nut 7 the rod 4 issecured in its adjusted position. The column 1 remains freeto turn uponhinge rod 4 at the adjusted height. The rod 4 acts also as a tie betweenthe drum plates 2 and 3.

Curved projections or stripper fingers 9, 9, preferably made integralwith the stripper column 1, project into the path of the picker fingers10, 10, and extend as near to the `path of the carriers 11, 11 aspractical.

Afio

Vtss

These curved projections 9, 9 terminate in oblique faces `12, 12, whichare preferably faced with separable plates 13, 13, riveted thereto.Projecting lips 14, 14 along their edges form strippers for the cottonwound upon the lingers 10, 10. The plates 13, 13 are nearly as wide asthe space between two adjacent picking fingers, and are tapered to matchthe taper of the picking fingers. They are spaced to register accuratelywith the vertical spacing of the picking fingers, and their edges are inclose relation to said fingers on opposite sides of each, whereby theywill strip and remove cotton wound upon them, from heel to point.

A stop block-1,5, secured to the floor plat 2 of the drum, limits theinward swing of,l

the stripper 1. A locking pin 16 fitted to slide freely :in a hole 17 inthe top end of the stripper-covumn 1, and sustained therein by,

a spring 18, provides a lookin device for the stripper colum'n. Said locing pin 16 is thrust upward by its spring into a hole 19 inthe top plate3 of the drum, when the columnv is swun to its innermost position and incontact with the block 15. The upper end of the pin 16 is preferablymade tapering to fit a correspondingly A,tapered hole 19. By depressing'the pin 16 the stripper may be swung outwardly to thetposition shown inFig. 5. In swinging the stripper back to place, pin 16 must be vusheddown to pass under plate 3. When the stripper has been swung inwardly tomeet the stop 15, the pin 16 can be forced upward into the tapered hole*19. in the plate; 8, thus locking the column and its attached partsv intheir olperative position. A dowel pin 20, secured i the locking pin 16and free to slide in v the slot 21, prevents pin 16 from; b ing pushedout of the hole 17 in the colth'nn.-

At the back of the column 1 are lugs 22, 22, having square aperturestherethrough in which are freely fitted the squared hubs 23, 23 of,certain of the finger brushes 24. The hubs 23 are square-apertured totit upon the square brush barv 225, whereby the brushes are preventedfrom turning about thebrush bar. The upper end of the brush bar 'isscrew-threaded and provided with adjust ing nuts 26, 26 above and belowthe lug 2i formed on the stripper column 1, whereby the brushes may be.adjusted vertically in relation to the picking lingers. The brushes aresecured endwise upon the brush bar by the nuts 28, 28. There are threelugs 22,- a top lug, a bottoni lug and an intermediate lug. The hubs 23of the. brushes are arranged in two groups, as shown in lT ig. 2,

vone group being between the intermediate lug and the upper lug 22, andthe other group being below ,the intermediate lug 22 and between thatlug and the bottom lug 22. All the hubs 23 fit tightly on the squarebrush-bar 25, and move when that brushbar is moved. Spaces, indicated at280 in Fig. 2,-tare left for the slight adjustment of the brushes thatis* desirable. In Fig. 2 the brushes are shown in their higherposition.' ,Bv adjustment downward of he brush-bar, the brushes "unay bemoved slightly downward fromv the position in which they are shown.

'Secured to the bottom of the stripper:

column 1 is a projecting bracket 29, upon the end of which is mounted abearing 30 (Fig. 11). ln this bearing is journaled a vertical shaft 31.yA shaft 32 is connected to shaft 31 by-coupling sleeve 33, pinned toboth shafts b vremovable pins 34 and 35. By withdrawing these pins thecoupling may be sliddownward on shaft 31, permit ting the latter to beswung laterally with the column 1.A

A flanged sleeve 36, secured to the top. plate 3; forms a journalbearing for the shaft 32. Keyed to the upper end of shaft 32 is aflanged bushing' free to slide endwise thereon. An adjusting nut 33'screwed onto the upper end of shaft 32 is adapted to raise or lower thesaid shaft, and with it, through the coupling sleeve 33. the shaft 31.Bushing 3T. is supported by tianged sleeve 36, between which. Ipreferably introduce a thrust collar 39 to carry the weight of the iloa, chain from 'the vertical shaft of the picker mechanism, not shown.This -sprocket is bolted to a clamping ring 41 by bolts 42. The sprocketand cla iping ring clamp upon a flange 43 of the buhing 371at anyfdesired. position. the purpose of which will' appeal' hereinafter. A

Mounted upon the 'shaft 31 is aridod'er 44s havingjsinall projectingspikes Il-v'flspaced to register with' the openings inthe' stripper.`

its

This roller is flat-sided, preferably approximating amA equilateraltriangle in cross section, as shown 1n Figs. 4 and The spikes are placedin rows at the corners. The effect of this flat-sided roller at 'a highspeed is .v

that of a centrifugal fan, `wherelov the strong current of air producedybythe pick ing fingers in their rapid motion toward the ist stripper iscounter-acted and reversed, thus ai nng materially in keeping the Spaceabout the stipt and spilted'uroller t'ree ot aculation of cotton. Thisfan-like dol'er does not in practice become enand wound about withcotton, by son oit its torni and the centrifugal air current produced byits rotation.

The points of the spilres l5 (Fig. il) are arranged to pass slightlywithin the path of the ends oi the pieltine tingers i() to etectivelyclear the end of the stripper .space and to prevent cotton andcotton-seeds from being ca ried bevond the stripper by the lingersu ilhe proportions ol' the sprockets driving the spiked-roller are suchthat a spil-:e passes the stripperfor each succeeding mssage of alinger, whereby they may be accu? ttely timed ,to cross the path of thefinger in the same plane vwitlnuit Vinterlerence. To etiect this angularustment of the spiked-roller7 the clamp ing lll may be ioosened, theroller et may be turned to its wired position, and the sprocket may thenbe securely clampedito the llanged bushing 37. The spiked roiler li andthe brushes being' mounted in the stripperv column will swing outwithit.` and it will be necessary first to detach the coupling 'x-i'nprm'ements may be embodied in other 1to1-ms without departure frommy inrt-Titien.

ii'hat claim is zl. ln a cotton-picking machine, the combination ofpicking lingers and mechanism to hold ther"` spaced apart in verticalrows with a vertical stripper column provided with laterally yprojeetingstrippers arranged in a vertical row and`spaced apartto register withthe spaces between the picker i: the strippers being oblique to theLical stripper column and loeated to strip the f'ottm .ti-om heel topoint oit the Fingers; ripper column being hinged vertiin a picker drumand niou'ited to twat-illy; the picker drum; a stop nit the inwardmort-nient of the strippi-r sfolumm and; means to lerl: it in its inwardposition to the drinn.

i), rhecombinatiom' in a coltmi-picking machine, ot a linger-containingdrum with :i pper colmnn; a. vertical hinge-rod there/ir moaned in theupperand lower portions ot' the drum and having'a threaded ef' 'tionwith the stripper column; and ino for (damping the hinge-rod to the drumto prevent the rod troni turning and 'iM/un moving up and. down.

in a cotton-picking machine, the comini tion with a pickinglinger-Containing :hum ot a 'ver icaltvhinged stripper column `2.;-\ :if" su ipping linrers proiwling into toet-n the picking tingers;thcpickand mecliai n to hohl and opa. i' -rtirz ii-.erics of 'ing Ishcscarried by the stripper column and projecting into spaces between thepicking fingers; a vertical an-doli'er carried by the stripper columnand having vertical rows of spikes;` the stripper column being mountedto swing outwardly upon its vertical hinge; a block within the drum tolimit the inward movey ment of the stripper column; means for lockinglingers; means tor holding the free end portions` oit the stripperingers stationary and eross-wsle ot the pickel.' lingers in theirmovements between the stripper tingers to cause the stripper lingers tostrip the picking lingers from heel to'point; a vertical dotl'er havinga solid polygonal body the faces wlnxreotl operate asians, and alsohavinga plurality of vertical rows ot spikes that pass slightly withinthe path of the ends of th'e picking lingers; and means to rotate thefan-flotter to move its 'vertical rows of Spikes downwardly along andaway from the longitudinal axes of the picker fingers.

5. The combination, in a cotton-picking machine, of a pickerfinger-containing drum with a vertical dotiermount'ed upon a verticalendwise removable shaft; a second shaft carrying a sprocket wheel, andaremovable coupling for said shafts.

C. In a cotton picker7 the combination of traveling picker lingers; apivotally mounted swinging stripper column; stripping means projectingfrom said column; linger brushes mounted on said column, and a spikedroller also mounted on saidcolumn; the stripping means beingintermediate lthe linger brusnes and spiked roller and adapted toproject into spaces between adjacent' nrc'icctinfr into the spacesbetween the outer i .i t: l

ends of said stripping edges and alternating with the finger ends intheir occupation of said space; und means for adjusting the zur gnlarposition of said projecting points in relation to the progress of saidfingers whereby they may pass each other nt the desired point Withoutinterference.

9. In a cotton picker, the combination of cotton picking fingers with adoli'er polyg0- nal in eross-seetion and provided at its oorners withprojecting spikes speeed apart; and means for holding the polygonalspiked i ,nonnen doler in n positiomto bring the spikes into workingrelation with the free end portions of the lingers and to cause thesurnces of ,i the dolfer between the spikes to not as n fanfor blowingcotton doed from the lingers away from the sume.

In testimony whereof l have alxed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

BRUCE CLARK WHITE. Witnesses:

EDWARD S. BEACH, F. E. NARES.

